Part 1: The Company Mission Statement: More Than Corporate Jargon
In the business world, few things hold as much promise and potential as the mission statement. Yet, despite that potential, mission statements often get lost in the shuffle, tucked away in boardrooms and strategic planning documents, never to REALLY add value the way they can. Why does this happen? More importantly, how can companies truly harness the power of their mission statements to drive success and inspire action?
Understanding the Mission Statement: A Guiding Light
A mission statement is a guiding light for a company, outlining its core purpose and values. It explains why the organization exists, its main goals, and the impact it aims to have on the world. A well-crafted mission statement brings clarity and direction, helping employees and stakeholders align their efforts towards common objectives and fostering a sense of purpose within the organization.
The Pitfalls of Ignoring the Mission Statement
One big reason mission statements fall short is that they aren't communicated effectively by leadership within the organization. This can be caused by a myriad of reasons, but many teams (even executive leadership) don’t have a clear mission for their business. Afterall, how can leaders lead something they don’t understand themselves?
Other times, mission statements are established by company leadership, only to become just words on a page, disconnected from daily operations. Because of business, lack of effort, or countless other reasons, they are not communicated well to the team, and they ultimately lose their ability to guide decisions and inspire action.
Regardless of the WHY mission statements aren’t used, the biggest blunder we see, is the gap between the mission statement and everyday business activities. We’ve all been there: a generic mission statement is created during strategic planning sessions but is never translated into practical strategies and behaviors. Without a clear link to daily operations, employees might not understand how their work fits into the bigger picture.
How to Maximize the Impact of Your Mission Statement
So, how can companies bring their mission statements to life and unlock their full potential? The key lies in proactive engagement and cultural integration. Here are some practical steps to effectively harness the power of mission statements:
Have an Effective Mission Statement: The first step is on company leadership. If your company doesn’t have a meaningful, thought through mission statement, use this as a prompting to change that. Gather key company leadership and dedicate real time to think through this. This will likely take more than an hour meeting. We’ve seen tremendous success in a leadership retreat where those key leaders power down their phones and take a day or two to really think through this. It is crucial. (In our next article, we will walk you through how to create a mission statement, so stay tuned.)
Clear Communication: Once you have established your effective company mission statement, make sure that leadership takes responsibility for ensuring that EVERY employee understands the mission statement and its importance. Not just management. I’m talking all of them. Regularly share its core principles and values through various channels, like team meetings and newsletters. In our increasingly digital world, we encourage this to be an in person activity as much as humanly possible. Encourage open dialogue to help everyone see how the mission statement guides the company's decisions and actions.
Cultural Integration: Embed the mission statement into the company's culture. Encourage employees to live its values in their daily work, and give them examples for how to do so! Share with them how the mission statement effects your own work, and give company leadership the responsibility to do the same. Then, take time to genuinely recognize and celebrate examples of employees embodying the mission, reinforcing its significance throughout the organization.
Leadership Buy-In: Leaders play a crucial role in mission statement integration. When leaders actively support and demonstrate the mission, employees are more likely to follow suit. This is why we recommend you involve key leadership in developing your mission statement. They will be bought in, and will be catalysts for carrying out the mission statement for their teams. It is vital for leadership to SHOW thier employees how THEY apply the mission statement in their own decision-making and problem-solving processes. Actions speak louder than words here, and leadership must take ownership of this process.
Employee Empowerment: Empower employees to use the mission statement as a guide in their work. Encourage decisions that align with the company's values and objectives. Provide training and resources to help employees understand how their contributions support the overall mission. Practically speaking, next time an employee asks a question, instead of giving them a simple answer, circle back to the mission statement, and work through the question from that lens. Explain to them how you came to your conclusion. This will encourage them to do the same thing next time they are faced with a difficult decision. Eventually, you will find that your employees begin making decisions the same way you would, without even asking for your input. Imagine the impact this investment could have with all your employees?
Conclusion: Embracing Your Mission for Success
A mission statement is more than just a corporate buzzword; it's a powerful tool for driving success and fostering a sense of purpose within an organization. By actively communicating, integrating, and living their mission statements, companies can achieve new levels of engagement, alignment, and impact. Whether you are looking to grow your business, or even establish leadership that allows you to take a step back, an integral step will be having a strong mission statement that guides employee decision making.
